NTHA Grassroots program

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One Million Hockey Legs is proud of all its projects. But our best practice is in Khunti, Jharkhand. In the tribal belt of India. The region is rural and economically disadvantaged. We, as One Million Hockey Legs, cannot say different that that the region is beautiful and hockey is popular from origin.

At the end of 2016 about 4000 children join, on a weekly basis, training sessions that are given by the 40 trainers/coaches (Master Trainers) that are educated by One Million Hockey Legs in a “train the trainer”/ “coach the coach” courses. In cooperation with the local NGO CInI, also our organizational partner, we have set up a social and life skill program that is designed specifically for this area and its needs.

The 40 Master Trainers are employed by CInI. And have now a sustainable income. Most of our Master Trainers are school drop outs. Khunti and surrounding is known to be a Culture of Silence and because agriculture is the main economic activity and mainly women work the land, girls have a disadvantaged position. By means of our program we try to give those children, boys and girls, an equal voice. Although it is too early to measure the impact of our program on the children, we do see a great positive development in the character and social and life skills of our Master Trainers.

The social project has a range of more than 60 schools, and over 18.000 children. A school league has been set up and successfully round off with a hockey festival. During the hockey festival the quarter, semi -and finals are played, clinics are given to spectating children, other games such as hard hitting contest and taking a penalty stroke can be played, there is music, a hockey movie, internet, and a meal, overall a fun event for participating teams, spectators, and children.

Talented players can be selected for the Regional Development Center and from there even can make it to the Naval Tata Hockey Academy. A residential Centre of Excellence in Jamshedpur. The Regional Development Centre and Naval Tata Hockey Academy are to be set up in 2017. And are as is the grassroot program almost entirely financed by Tata Trusts and Tata Steel.